In-person classes cause nerves and excitement

As the date of school reopening gets closer, I become more nervous about attending in-person classes. Yes, I will be going back to school even though I have concerns about it.

After a year of quarantine and talking to others through a screen, I realized that my social and communication skills have worsened while my email writing and typing skills have improved. I have spent almost a whole day in my room attending classes and finishing homework. The lack of in-person communication causes me to be nervous even when I talk to the cashier when grocery shopping. I have also not seen my friends in person for such a long time that I believe I will recognize their email profile picture faster than the actual person with the mask.

However, the saddest part of distance learning is that I did not get to make new friends in class. There was always silence in the breakout room, but I guess one good thing is that I learned how to break the ice. I hope that attending in-person classes could help me know my teachers and classmates better and improve my communication skills. 

The most important reason for why I prefer in-person classes is that there are fewer distractions in the classroom. I will not need to worry about interruptions, noises, and internet issues. Therefore, I can be more concentrated in class. I will no longer be late to classes because I missed my alarm clock, which happened once to me during distance learning. Lastly, I might even get to perform experiments in my chemistry class. I can’t wait to participate in class activities that we can not do virtually.

Even though I am somewhat excited about school reopening, I am still worrying about safety. I am not sure if all students will follow the rules to keep everyone safe and healthy, but I believe our school staff will try their best to enforce the rules. Vaccines will be also available to high school students starting on April 15. After most people get vaccinated, I think everyone will feel more comfortable about attending in-person classes.

I know that there are still many uncertainties, but the school and the school district are working hard to make school reopenings as safe and smooth as possible. I appreciate their work, and I am looking forward to being in an actual classroom again.